Santhana Prapthi Kaalabhairava!

A portion of the Ramagiri Valeeswara Temple

At the end of the Ramayana war, Rama was affected by Brahmahathi Dosha (the curse of killing a brahmin) after killing Ravana. Ravana had a brahmin father,Vishrava and a Rakshasa mother Kaikesi. Killing a son born to a brahmin had resulted in Rama acquiring the Brahmahathi Dosha. Rama requested Hanuman to bring a Shiva Linga from Kashi so that he could worship the Lord and rid himself from the curse.

Hanuman dutifully obeyed Rama and brought a Shivalingam for Rama to worship at Rameswaram. On his way back, he was passing through a place called Thirukaarikarai. Kaala Bhairava was the Kshetra Palaka of this place. He saw Hanuman coming back with the sacred Shiva lingam. He was desirous of having Lord Shiva stay permanently at Thirukaarikarai. It was mid day and the sun was shining brightly. Kaala Bhairava sought Lord Surya (Sun God)'s co-operation in increasing the temperature further. The heat made Hanuman thristy and he got down and looked around for a water source.

Kaala Bhairava appeared before him in the guise of a young boy. Hanuman asked him if there was water nearby for him to bathe and drink. Kala Bhairava was able to make water run down the hill and collect in a pond nearby. He agreed to hold the Shivalingam till such time Hanuman returned. A happy Hanuman got down into the pond to bathe. The idyllic surroundings, and the cool,refreshing water made a weary Hanuman enjoy a long and thorough bath.

The Nandi theertham created by Kala Bhairava at Ramagiri

When he got out of the water, the little boy was nowhere in sight. He looked around to find the Shivalingam placed on the ground. In panic, he rushed to the spot and tried to lift the lingam and continue with his journey. But, despite several attempts, he was not able to even move it an inch from where it had been grounded. As a last ditch effort, he looped his tail over the Baana (top portion) of the lingam and tried to uproot it. All that he could do was to tilt it a bit, but the lingam would not budge. When Hanuman removed his tail from around the lingam, he saw the impression it had created on the Baana. He understood that it was divine will that the lingam was to stay there forever. So he worshipped it, and started back towards Kashi to get another lingam for Lord Rama.

Sthalapurana Mural of Sri Valeeswara Temple, Ramagiri

The place came to be known as Ramagiri as Hanuman had brought the Lingam for Rama and the Lord is known as Valeeswara as Hanuman tried to uproot him with his Vaal (Tail). Even today one can see the huge lingam slightly tilted to one side with tail marks on the baanam.

Although Lord Shiva is found here, this is one of the few temples where Kaala Bhairava is worshipped as the main deity. In this temple, he is worshipped as "Santhana Prapthi Kala Bhairava" - a Bhairava who grants boon of childbirth.

Several hundreds of devotees throng this temple through the year to offer prayers to Kaala Bhairava and be blessed with the boon of a child.

Stone Puppies offered at the Ramagiri Temple

Procedure for performing pooja for childbirth:

The Nandi Theertham created by Kaala Bhairava is perenially filled with cool water that flows from the hill and collects in the pond from the mouth of a Nandi. The water is said to bring with it the herbal goodness of the various medicinal plants that grow on the hill.

• Couples desirous of performing poojas for child birth at Ramagiri, have to come to the temple, early in the morning on an empty stomach. 
• They must both bathe in the Nandi Theertham and with wet clothes, go into the temple, light eight lamps in the specified place, and perform archana to Sri Kaala Bhairava. 
• The priest then gives the couple a stone puppy which they both carry around the shrine and peform eight circumambulations.
• They feed biscuits and food to the several dogs that are found within the temple complex. It is surprising to see the dogs not fighting with each other, or getting excited when people try to feed them. They do not eat anything that falls on the sand. When food is respectfully placed, they take turns to come and quietly eat the food.
• Once their prayers are answered,they come back with the baby and perform abhishekam to Kaala Bhairava and place a stone puppy as a token of gratitude.

Several puppies offered by devotees are found in the Ramagiri temple

Special poojas and abhishekam are performed on Theipirai Ashtami (Eighth day after Full moon) every month between 9 am and 11.45 pm. It is better to arrive early in order to find seating space within the Artha Mandapa.

About the temple:

The temple is said to have been originally constructed by the Pallavas, and renovated over time by King Vira Rajendra Chola. From inscriptions, one can understand that a king called Sangama Kula Virupaksharaya tried to construct a Raja Gopura at the temple.
It is probably the only temple where Lord Hanuman can be seen in front of the Shivalingam in a worshipping state in the place of Nandi.
Thirukaarikarai  is a Devara Vaippu thalam sung by Sundaramurthy Nayanar.
There is a Murugan temple atop the hill and there are steps leading to it from near the pond.

Steps leading to the Murugan Temple on top of the hill

How to reach here:

Ramagiri is about 100 kms from Chennai on the Periyapalayam - Uthukottai - Suruttapalli - Nagalapuram route and about 3 kms from Nagalapuram.

Temple Timings:

Morning 8 am to 11.45 am
Afternoon 3 pm to 5.45 pm

Contact Details:
Shankarraj Gurukkal - 09490008887

"Little" Krishna with his mother - A hidden treasure!

The driver of our vehicle had a perplexed expression on his face when I told him the name of the place I intended to visit - " Madam, I have been driving in this area for several years. Have never heard about this place" he said. I smiled, as this is the common response I receive from transport operators when I describe the places I want to visit. And this is what makes it all the more exciting.

So off we set, me, armed with Google maps on my phone, and the driver not believing in gadgetry, checking at every turn, and getting more and more nervous with the shrugs, and frowns he was getting in response to the location. I love the navigation tool on Google maps and we were soon on the right path, but were losing time, as the driver insisted on checking frequently. The yellowing newspaper clipping from my treasured scrap book mentioned that the temple closed at 9 am and then opened only at 5 pm. It was already 8.45 am and we had reached as far as the map took us.  My family was tch...tching and saying we were going to reach exactly when the temple closed.

I did not panic. I knew that Krishna who had brought me this far, was waiting for me. As we turned into Market Road at Karungal, the driver stopped for one last time in front of a gentleman, who thought for a while, and then gave us perfect directions. Soon, we were entering an arch and going down a deep slope and there, right in front of us, stood the temple with a dome like an inverted cone.

The clanging of bells told me that Harathi was going on and I literally jumped out of the vehicle and ran. The moment I opened the door, it started pouring heavily. I was oblivious to the rain and just dashed into the temple and stood before the sanctum sanctorum.

And there he stood, the one whom I had been wanting to meet for many years now. Little Balakrishna in Vishwaroopam!- The form he had shown Yashoda when she had asked him to open his mouth to see if he had eaten mud! In the light of the Harathi, I could see the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. Over 13 feet tall, with four arms, the upper ones holding the discus and conch, and the right lower arm, holding on to a ball of butter dearly, while the other arm holding a mace, he was an absolute delight to watch.

The largest statue of Krishna in South India- this statue, according to the priests at the temple, continues to grow. And that's not all. In the same sanctum sanctorum, to the right of her son, stands mother Yashoda, dwarfed by the son towering over her, with a ball of butter in her right hand and a churner in the left, looking up with awe.

I peeped from the corner of the steps to get a glimpse of Mother Yashoda, who is not directly visible. The priest came out with sandal paste and flowers, waiting for me to complete my prayers,so that he can shut the door. I kept peeping till the door was shut.

My heart was full. Had we been late by another five minutes, I would never have got an opportunity to see this magnificient Lord, may be for a life time. As I walked around the shrine, thanking the Almighty for his kind mercy, a kind old lady appeared before us as if by magic, thrusting a few leaves into my hand. I took them in a daze, and she doled out hot Chakara Pongal into them. It was still drizzling. I had to take a few pictures and I happily obliged when the old lady asked for hers to be taken.

She also pointed out to the inscriptions in this temple, which according to her, is over 800 years old. The inscriptions, found in Vattezhuthu, have been transcribed,and I really liked the idea of a board placed within the temple with the transcribed inscriptions. If this is followed in several other temples, many more people would understand the value of inscriptions and their content and make sure they are treated with due respect. The inscriptions call the deity Karumanickaththazhwar and the place Thirupiraimalai. 

If you happen to be in this area, do take time out to visit this lovely temple, where you can see naughty little Krishna with his mother Yashoda in the same sanctum sanctorum. Krishna Jayanthi is celebrated with great festivity here and people seeking the boon of childbirth, pray here and offer Cheedai and Murukku to have their wishes granted.

How to get here:

This temple is about 31 kms from Nagercoil and about 43 kms from Kanyakumari. After proceeding on NH 47 turn left at Federal Bank onto Thingal Nagar - Kolachel Road. At Apollo Pharmacy, turn right into SH 91. After proceeding about 9 km, turn slight right into Market Road (Landmark:Bismi Jewellery). You will cross the Govt School, Karungal on your left and Bethlehem Institute of Education on your right. You will then cross a Petrol pump. Just after the petrol pump,to your left there will be an arch reading Way to Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna Temple, Thippiramalai. Enter the arch and go down the steep slope for about 100 metres. At the end of the slope, about few metres away is the temple.

Contact Details:
You can contact members of the Temple Development Committee for any information on the temple: Mr.S.Shivaprasad: 94865 48823, Mr.C.Arulraj 99526 87643, Mr.K.Dayanidhi 94421 94021

Temple Timings;
Morning 6 am to 9 am
Evening 5 pm to 7.30 pm

The Lord who opens his eyes!

The humble entrance to the Kari Varadaraja Perumal Temple at Nerkundram

Awesome! Wow! How Divine! 

These were the words predominant in our minds as we walked out of the Nerkundram Kari Varadaraja Perumal Temple this afternoon. Every month, through the Aalayam Kanden Trust, we have been going to a lesser known, ancient temple and lighting lamps and distributing ghee and oil, This month, we chose the Kari Varadaraja Perumal Temple and feel extremely pleased about having done so.

For pictures of the Lighting of Lamps event at this temple and to join our future events or contribute towards distribution of ghee and oil , please check out our Facebook page by clicking here. 

So what is so special about this temple to have evinced such a response from us? Well, this is probably the only temple where the Lord actually opens his eyes and looks at his devotees! Surprised? Read on.

This temple has a very interesting mythology connected to it. 

King Indrajyudhman was a very staunch devotee of Vishnu. Despite being a King, he spent many hours of the day worshipping Lord Vishnu. One day, Sage Agasthya came to visit him. The King, was lost in his thoughts of the Lord and did not notice the sage. Angered, the sage cursed him to become an elephant.

Indrajyudhman was shocked. He told the sage that he was a devotee of Vishnu and had not ignored him deliberately. The sage said that once a curse was given, he could not take it back and that the King could pray to Vishnu to give him Shapa Vimochana.

When the King prayed to the Lord, he heard a voice (Asariri) telling him " I am in a place where Nel (paddy) is heaped like a Kundram (hill). Come there and worship me every day and you will get moksha" said the voice.

So the King who had then turned into an elephant, came down to Nerkundram, and found the Varadaraja Perumal Temple next to a Pushkarni. Every morning, he would pluck a lotus from the Pushkarni and worship the Lord by placing the lotus at his feet.

A humble Garudalwar with the lamp lit by us before him

One day, a Gandharva called Hoo Hoo and his wife came down to Bhooloka and were playing near the Pushkarni. When Hoo Hoo noticed the elephant plucking a lotus, and worshipping Lord Vishnu, he was very impressed. He wanted to stay back and watch what happened. So he and his wife took the form of crocodiles and swam around in the Pushkarni.

At that moment, Sage Bharadwaja came to the Pushkarni to perform his Sandhya Vandhanam. Hoo hoo, now in the form of a crocodile did not see the sage and trying to chase his wife, banged against the Sage standing in water. Sage Bharadwaja became angry at this impertinent act. Realising that the crocodile was a Gandharva, he cursed him to turn into a crocodile permanently. Hoo Hoo was sorry for his inadvertent act and begged the Sage's forgiveness. The Sage told him that when he held the foot of a Vaishnava he would be forgiven and would attain his original form.

The Crocodile immediately thought of the elephant who was a loyal devotee of Vishnu and decided to hold his foot. The next day, when the Elephant got into the water to pluck a lotus, the crocodile swam quickly towards him and caught his foot. The Elephant tried to pull his leg from the Crocodile's grasp,but could not do so because the crocodile is more powerful in water. In pain and distress, the Elephant sought the help of his Lord " Adhimoolame" he bellowed.

Does this story sound familiar to Gajendra Moksham? Well, not completely. When the Lord heard the cry of  the elephant, he wanted to come out and save both his devotees - the Elephant and the Crocodile. So he sent out his Sudharshana Chakra and asked him to bring both Elephant and Crocodile to the shore. The Chakra went swishing and sliced through the water, to carry both the creatures out of the water.

Once on land, the elephant gained strength and was able to pull his leg out of the crocodile's mouth, with some effort. When that happened, both the elephant and the crocodile gained their original forms of King Indrajyudhman and HooHoo and the Lord gave both of them the boon of Paramapadha.

As this Lord granted the boon of Paramapatha to an elephant (Kari) he came to be known as Kari Varadaraja Perumal.

Moolavar Sri Kari Varadaraja Perumal with consorts
Photo Courtesy: Sri Sugendra Bhattachar

Now from that magnificient history to reality. Today, this temple only has the main Moolavar shrine intact. Small semi permanent structures house Anjaneya Swamy and Garudalwar. A large hall covered by thatch is where the devotees gather and wait to go into the Artha Mandapa in batches. A statue of Nammalwar stands in a corner behind the book stall only to be noticed when Thaligai is submitted to him.

Sri Varada Anjaneya Swamy

Why this pitiable state? Shri. Sugendra Bhattar, the hereditary trustee of the temple, speaks with a lot of sadness and frustration. He says over time the lands belonging to the temple have been occupied by private parties and despite going to court and taking their best efforts with the available limited means, the temple which once had enough means to conduct various festivals over the year, today is unable to support even the painting of the permanent shrine that they have managed to construct for Shri Anjaneya. (This task has subsequently been completed, thanks to the kind hearted donors through Aalayam Kanden appeal).

Nammazhwar in an alcove behind the book stall. Ms. Sivakami, the lady in blue
works at the temple and answered phone enquiries. She was very helpful for this visit.

He invites us into the Ardha Mandapam to witness what we had come to see. Once inside, he tells us about the significance of worship at this temple. The Lord Kari Varadaraja Perumal, is the Lord of 27 stars. He is also the Adhibadhi of the Number 9. So for every wish or prayer that a devotee makes they offer a contribution of Rs.9 to the Lord which is then placed at his feet. The devotees come back (most often within nine days) to offer thanks for the wish having been granted. He also said that if a devotee came for 27 months on his birth star without a break he could definitely achieve whatever he wished.

The Lord has Sridevi and Bhoodevi on either side and Neela Devi and Mahalakshmi in his heart, which is a unique feature here. His right hand shows Varada Hastham and the left hand holds a Gadhayudham. The two rear hands have Sanku and Chakra. He also has a Simhamukham below his navel.

The Lord's Avatara Nakshatram is Hastham and Thirumanjanam is performed on those days at the temple. Those who wish to perform Thirumanjanam or offer Vastram (nine yard sarees are used to adorn the Lord) can contact the temple atleast fifteen days in advance.

After having told us the significance of praying at this temple, he asks us if we were ready with our prayers. We wait with bated breath, as he closes the door to the Sanctum Sanctorum, and switches off the electric lights.

The doors are closed for Nethra Darisanam

Now the Bhattar takes the ghee lamp near the face of the Lord. Lo and Behold, the eyes that you see closed in the idol while the lights were on have suddenly opened. The almost human like eyes are rolling left to right as the Bhattar moves the ghee lamp beneath the Lord's face. He asks us to seek our wishes while the Lord's eyes are open, and we do with sincerity and devotion. 

The Utsavar here is Sathyanarayana Perumal. Sathyanarayana Pooja is performed here on every full moon day. Another special utsavar is Sri Santhanagopala Krishnan. For those seeking Childbirth, the Bhattar gives the Utsavar in their hands and the woman or her mother (using the woman's vastram) receive the Krishnan with devotion in the pallav of the saree and swing him gently from side to side as the Bhattar sings pasurams. This Krishna with butter in his hand grants the boon of childbirth without fail. We saw some people distributing sweets at the temple as their wishes had been granted.

The doors have opened and the next batch goes in

Another unique feature of this temple is the community prayers that happen on tuesdays and saturdays in the morning at 11 am. On Tuesdays, since the crowd is relatively less, the community prayers are accompanied by the recital of Vishnu Sahasranamam and on Saturdays, since the crowd is larger, the community prayers are led in Tamil by Shri. Sugendra Bhattachar.

He invited us to join the prayers and we joined the group of people who had lined up on either side of the main shrine in the meditation hall. The Bhattar handed over Tulsi leaves to each and every one of us and asked us to hold it in our hands as we prayed for each person and then finally hand it over to him to be taken to the feet of the Lord with all the prayers embedded.

It was indeed an amazing activity. The power of community prayer need is well known and does not need detailed description. To know that this is a regular activity twice a week at this temple, where the prayers are conducted in Tamil instead of Sanskrit, so that people understand and participate sincerely was something appreciable indeed.

Once the offering of prasadam to the Lord was completed, the Bhattar started by asking those whose wishes had been fulfilled to share their experiences. Ms. Ramya, an engineering student, distributed sweets and chocolates to those gathered, as her prayers for her sister to have a child had been granted and she had delivered a boy baby through normal delivery.

One by one, the devotees share their concerns and everyone else prays for them

When Shri. Sugendra Bhattachar asked me what my prayer was, all I could think of is that Kari Varadaraja Perumal should get back all his property so that the temple is restored to its lost magnificence. It was indeed heart warming when everyone prayed for it to happen. The Bhattar also prayed that Aalayam Kanden should be able to do good service to the society by identifying and supporting several deserving temple. What more do we want?

After each one's concern was heard and prayers made, delicious Pongal was distributed as prasadam and we left the temple, with our hearts and stomach full.

Aalayam Kanden Team in conversation with Shri. Sugendra Bhattar

An Appeal:

The temple is currently housed in a thatched shed as you can see from the pictures and plans to have a semi-permanent shelter before the Samprokshanam on 15th September 2013 for which it requires Rs.1,40,000/- It seeks funds from noble hearted souls to complete this task on time and perform the consecration which has not happened in 24 years. Please contribute generously through cash or materials to support this wonderful temple.

Aalayam Kanden has committed to support this initiative. Please send in your contributions through cheque, Demand draft favoring Aalayam Kanden Trust, Flat A, Nutech Saradambal Apartments, No. 36, Kripasankari Street, West Mambalam, Chennai 600 033. You may also use the bank transfer option to transfer funds into our Punjab National Bank account, West Mambalam, Chennai 600 033 

Account No: 6028000100005596, IFSC Code: PUNB0602800. 

How to get here:

This temple has easy access from all parts of Chennai. From Koyambedu Bus Terminus, take a left at the Roundtana towards Poonamallee High Road. Once you cross the HP Petrol Pump on your right, you will find a First Choice Car showroom, with a green car suspended high up in the air on your right and the Vengaya Mandi Bus Stop on your left (it would be the first bus stop after Koyambedu if you take buses plying from Koyambedu towards Maduravoyal).

Turn left opposite the First Choice Showroom. Turn left again after you enter the road. The temple is the second building on your right. Do not look out for Gopuram or Vimanam as you would be sadly disappointed. There is a garments company called Shamili Garments next to the temple.

Contact Details:

Shri. Sugendra Bhattachar, Heriditary Trustee

Ph: 99625 59123, 99628 11792

Temple Timings:

Mornings: 8.30 am to 12.30 pm
Evenings:  5.30 pm to  8. 30 pm

Thank you Blog Adda for choosing this post as a 

Aalayam Kanden thanks Mr Sethupathy for sharing his experience about the temple and includes it in this post with his permission.

I had seen number of temples in different parts of India which are architectural marvels but this type I have not seen. Even if we assume it is the shilpi's art work in sculpting still it is unique.In normal times it looks like any other statue in temples.When bhattar closes the door and switch off lights and shows arti lamp we can see literally eyes exactly like human beings with white background and eyes seeing you.The experience is unique and suganubhavam and we feel god has opened his eyes to bless you and your problems will be solved.

It is the practice here that we have to take a copy of the horoscope of the person for whom we are praying alongwith what we want to be written as KORIKKAI and pay 27 Rs  as Rs 1 per star and bhattar will keep on the feet of the lord  the horoscope  letter and the money.When the arathi is shown it is believed that he sees your horoscope,and the letter and that is how by HIS grace and glance your problems get solution. 

After this each set of papers is sent to hanumanji who keeps track and follows up with the lord.

In many cases marriages have taken place very quickly or to the surprise of everyone.It is told that 3 sisters had come for their children and when praying and writing there, one of the sisters got call to immediately

rush to the house as people have come from Boy's side unexpectedly with the proposal to marry without even seeing the girl formally.

My son is in US and wanted to see in person the girl before saying yes which was very difficult to match with the dates when he comes and we were losing many good girls as he was not willing to see in web or skype.  When some printer lost all hope of getting a new machine to improve business out of frustration he came and prayed and unknown person has helped him to get new machine and he could not believe. After his telling we went there and prayed. In a week's time my son okayed the girl we saw by seeing only in web though not to his satisfaction of seeing and met her only at the time of marriage. This we could not convince him for nearly 3 to 4 years. I feel it is his grace and we were thrilled. And still all are asking how he has agreed suddenly.

After this when my sister told this to others and many have thanked her for showing the way to the temple. as their different problems have found solution.  After my son's marriage when we went there with him and his wife the driver was in mental agony and simply he wanted to accompany us inside and we readily agreed.  Next day he profusely thanked as his vehicle was about to be seized for non payment of dues and there is no way to get money in a day. As a brahmin owner driven tourist vehicle for fast track he lost all hopes.

But his problem got solved and still he is running the vehicle after paying all dues.

I think I have given enough to interest in seeing this temple. If we sincerely pray ,which we do when we are having problems, this lord in the temple really solves them .

For people who want to visit, the route is from koyambedu to poonamalle road get down at vengayamandi stop and ask there. Only thulasi malai is required and nothing else. Many are coming from outstation as well.

I have just added what I had experienced and informed to me to the wonderful article already given.

I hope many will get the grace of the God of this ancient temple not known to many.

Regds

SETHUPATHY

A Garbarakshambigai in Tirunelveli District!

The Gopuram of Vanneeswarar Temple, Alwarkurichi

There are planned travels you undertake, when you read up about the places you intend to visit, their significance, uniqueness and everything else that would make your visit complete and wholesome. Sometimes, unplanned travel has a number of hidden surprises for you which become much-cherished and treasured memories.

My recent visit to Tirunelveli District was one such trip. When Mr. Chandrasekhar, PRO of REACH Foundation, told me that he was going to Tirunelveli District for survey of a couple of dilapidated temples, and invited me to go along, I agreed enthusiastically. Our guide, Chandra mentioned, would be one Mr. Podhigai Kudumban who has done extensive research by foot all over the district on sixteen different themes pertaining to history, heritage and mythology. The name was itself very unique and intriguing so I was all excited.

When our train chugged into the junction, it started pouring heavily and by the time we decided on a route map, went up to another temple about which I would be writing shortly, and boarded the bus to Cheranmadevi, it was noon. We were tired and hungry. It was at the Cheranmadevi bus stand, that Podhigai hired his friend's share auto for the rest of the day for us.

Sometimes, it is these small time transport operators in these towns and villages, who turn out to be a godsend. Mr. Ramar, who belongs to Mukkudal and drives the auto drove us from Cheranmadevi to Kallidaikurichi where we were kindly hosted by a common friend's Chandru's family, and then from there to Ambasamudram, Azhwarkurichi and back.

Another view of the gopuram and the walls ready to fall

The auto was spacious and comfortable and he only charged us Rs.1000/- for the whole day. He was extremely patient as we went from one temple to another, never got annoyed when we stopped at every single " Nadukal" or mural painting in an abandoned mandapa, or spent hours taking pictures.

I would strongly recommend Mr. Ramar for anyone who is planning to travel around these places. He charges Rs.1000 - 1200 per day, depending on the time and distance which is much cheaper than the ambassadors who charge Rs.2000 per day. The most important thing is that he knows temples that exist in hidden corners of towns and villages around here. Contact Details of Mr. Ramar : 99449 20014

When we started out in the morning, Chandra had explained our interests to Podhigai, who in turn insisted that I visit and write about Vanneeswarar Temple at Azhwarkurichi wherein resides Garbarakshambigai.

I was surprised. I had visited other temples connected with marriage and childbirth in other parts of Tamilnadu like Putlur Poongavanathamman Temple, Thirukarugavur Garbarakshambigai Temple, Pidaari Karukathamman Temple, Mamallapuram, Karuvalarcheri etc. but somehow not come across or heard about this temple, despite belonging to the district.

Podhigai showed me pictures on his digital camera, of idols on the main gopuram of women helping another woman to deliver, various yoga postures for pregnant women etc. that I was super excited by the time we reached there.

It was almost 5.30 pm when we reached the temple. The temple was stooped in darkness like all other parts of Tirunelveli which experiences ten hours of power cut in a day. The battery on my camera was dying down because of all the action since morning and not being able to recharge the battery. As soon as we reached, I asked the junior bhattar at the temple, Mr. Meenakshinathan, if I could see the idols on the gopuram. He agreed and took me up. This was the first time in my life that I got an opportunity to climb up a temple and that too, one where the stones were shaky and ready to crumble.

I was surprised to hear that Meenakshinathan is also a snake catcher. He showed us pictures of how he had caught sixteen feet King cobras and other snakes around Azhwarkurichi. It was indeed amazing to take a look at those pictures.

View from the top

When we went around trying to locate the idols, Meenakshinathan remarked that every other day the idols were disintegrating and falling from the gopuram and the ones that had been captured by Podhigai some months ago, did not exist any longer! It was highly disappointing and quite saddening to see the state of affairs.

The temple is quite well maintained inside, and they are looking for patrons and donors to renovate the gopurams and the wall around the temple, which again is leaning and ready to crumble at any moment.

Inside, the temple is a treasure trove. Every single pillar has sculptures depicting an image connected to childbirth. There are quite a few erotic sculptures as well.

The Bhattar at the temple, Shri Narayanan welcomed us and started narrating the history of the temple, in the dim light provided by the inverter.

The story goes like this:

During Dwapara Yuga, the Saptharishis performed a Yagna to prevent human beings from perishing in the fire. Fearing his power would be lost, Agni did not help the burning of the sacrificial fire. Angered by his act, the Saptharishis cursed him to lose his skills and competencies.

Agni hid himself in the banks of the river near the temple in the form of a fish to escape from the curse. But the Sapahathi came looking for him, found him and overcame him. Agni then prayed to Rishi Sudama to help him to get back his skills. The Rishi adviced him to install a Shivalinga with his own hands and worship him and be relieved from the curse. Agni did so on the banks of the river and was soon relieved of his curse.
The place where this lingam was installed came to be known as Agni Theertham. There is a perennial spring of water that keeps coming into the pit where the Agniswara Lingam existed and several Siddhars have meditated and attained samadhi around it. A separate post on Agni Theertham can be found here on Aalayam Kanden.

Lord Agniswara

Over time, since the river got flooded frequently, a wealthy trader, Shri.Vijayendra Bhupathy Mudaliar had moved the Lingam from the Agni Theertham into a grove of Vanni Trees (Prosopis Cineraria or Shami Tree ) and built a small shrine around it. Because he rested in the midst of Vanni Trees he came to be known as Vanniappar.

Subsequently, the Cholas had built the temple and extended it. When the Pandyas came into power, they moved the original Agniswara to the East of the temple as a Easanya Lingam, and built a larger Shivalingam in the Sanctum Sanctorum. They also added the shrine of Goddess Sivakami Ambal. The Nandi in front of the new Pandya Lingam, is however, the old Chola Nandi.

The original Nandi

This original Vanneeswara now called Agniswara again, sits quietly, in the eastern side of the temple, waiting for devotees to visit him. Try meditating in front of him. The vibration is awesome! The new Nandi made by the Pandyas has been installed near the Dwajasthamba and Bali Peetam, by far one of the most beautiful Nandis I have seen so far.

The New Nandi

Unique methods of worship at the temple:

As I had mentioned earlier, this temple is a reputed worship site for marriage and childbirth. There is a pillar in the temple which has the images of a goddess in bridal attire named Kalyanambal and another goddess fully pregnant named Garbarakshambigai.

Goddess Kalyanambal

Devotees worship Goddess Kalyanambal to have prayers of good marriage proposal answered. The procedure is very simple but effective.

The person seeking to be married or a blood relative (preferably mother) has to perform abhishekam with their own hands to Goddess Kalyanambal in the first week. Archanai is performed in the following three weeks by the Bhattar on behalf of the prospective groom or bride. Once the wedding takes place, the couple come back and offer garlands and new clothes to Kalyanambal as you can see in the picture above. He said that several people come to do this pooja. Abhishekam can be performed at any time of the day other than Rahu Kaalam.

For those who seek childbirth, the same procedure is done but with Garbarakshambigai. The opportunity to perform abhishekam with their own hands is something unique at this temple. After childbirth, the couple come back with the infant to offer prayers and thanks to Goddess Garbarakshambigai.

Goddess Garbarakshambigai

This temple is also a place of worship for Kalasarpa Dosham. On the ceiling outside the Artha Mandapam, there is a Yantra of entwined snakes, and snake charmers which is unique in this temple.

Those who suffer from Rahu Dosham, perform abhishekam (again with their own hands) to the Krishna standing on a five headed snake and those suffering from Kethu Dosham can perform abhishekam to the Shiva lingam under a one-headed snake and those suffering from Kalasarpa Dosham or Kalasarpa Yogam perform abhishekam to Rahu and Kethu in a single icon to be rid of these dosham. Point to note: Other than the Yantra and these icons, there is no Navagraham in this temple.

Kalasarpa Yantram

By now, the battery on my camera had run out and I was reduced to shooting from my mobile phone, aiming into the darkness. Kindly bear with the poor and grainy quality of pictures here forward.

The other interesting features here are as I mentioned several sculptures of yogic postures depicted for pregnant women.

                                                                      

Another absolutely adorable feature of this temple is the unique depiction of the 63 nayanmars. Instead of the standard format where all of them have similar faces, and stand with folded hands, here each one of them is depicted to show incidents that happened in their lives that made them Nayanmars.

Siruthonda Nayanar with his son Seeralan at his foot

Pugazhchola Nayanar with the head of the
Sivanadiyar in his hand

The entire history of each Nayanmar's life is written in the wall behind them for easy reference and understanding which again is something interesting and useful. Also the nayanmars are not arranged based on the order they appear in Thiruthonda Thogai. They are organised based on common threads in them. For example, Ninraseer Nedumaran, Mangayarkarasiyaar and Kulasiraiyaar are together, Sundarar, his parents and Narasinga Munaiyaraiyar are together and so on.

Both Narayana Bhattar and Meenakshinathan spoke about the exquisite large Nataraja made of a single stone, by far one of the earliest stone Natarajas which belonged to this temple, but has now been moved to another temple nearby for safe-keeping since the walls of this temple can collapse at any time. We could not see the exquisite Nataraja because the other temple was closed.

Vanniyappar and Sivakami Ambal wait with compassion and grace to answer prayers of those who come to their doorsteps.

How to get here:

Nearest Railway Station: Tirunelveli
By Road: Alwarkurichi is very close to Ambasamudram and about 35 kms from Tirunelveli and 25 kms from Tenkasi. Buses going from Tirunelveli to Tenkasi via Ambasamudram stop at Alwarkurichi.

Temple Timings:

To facilitate those devotees coming from different parts of Tamilnadu and Kerala by various means of transport, the temple is open from 7 am in the morning till 7 pm at night. It is better to visit the temple during the day because electricity is not available in the evenings and it is a little difficult to enjoy the beautiful treasures of the temple in the dark.

Contact Details:

Narayana Bhattar: 97904 01895
Meenakshinathan  96599 66003
For general guidance regarding travel and heritage research (especially early types of nature worship, Nadukals, Kaval Deivams, Astromical signs in Temple Architecture etc) you could contact Podhigai Kudumban Mobile No 96981 76089. A word of Caution - he is a very intense and passionate researcher and often loses track of time, hunger and other logistical needs that normal travellers would experience :)

Poongavanathamman Temple, Putlur

The entrance of Poongavanathamman Temple

This is probably the only temple where the Goddess has manifest herself  in the natural form of an anthill complete with face, eyes, dainty eyebrows, parted lipts, hands, legs, and a pregnant belly. It gives you goosebumps as you circumambulate around her in the narrow and poorly lit space among the several hundreds of people who throng this temple everyday to seek her blessings.



Picture of Goddess Poongavanathamman

Lord Shiva and Parvathi were walking from Melmalayanur towards Ramapuram ( the place where this temple is located, which subsequently came to be known as Putlur because of the Goddess manifesting herself in the form of a Putru - an anthill). This place was a forest those days full of neem trees. Parvathi tired after the long walk, sat down and asked Lord Shiva to fetch her some water. Lord Shiva went searching for water but could not find any nearby. He had to go to the river Coovam ( looks like it had drinkable quality water then!) to bring the water. It started raining heavily and the river was getting flooded. So he had to wait a while for the rain to subside. Tired of waiting for the Lord, and exhausted with hunger and thrist, the Goddess lay down on the floor and an anthill (புற்று) grew over her. She became one and the same with the anthill.
Lord Shiva returned shortly after and found that Parvathi had permanabtly stayed there. So he too stood beside her and is called thandavarayan. Probably this is the only amman temple where you can find a nandi before the sanctum sactorium and this is because of the presence of Shiva behind the goddess.



Nandi in front of the Sanctum Sanctorium

The temple, as I said is always crowded. People come and pray here for childbirth and other wishes. They usually buy five lemon and bangles from the shops outside. One lemon is taken by one of the several old ladies who can be found outside the temple. It is believed that one has to remove all "drishti" (casting of evil eye) before entering the temple. So these women circle the lemon thrice around your head, and ask you to crush it under your left foot. This is supposed to remove all dristi from you. On entering the temple, there is a trident ( trishul) on which three of the remaining lemon are pressed on.



Offering lemon at the Trishul

Then you move to worship the nandi, and enter the mandapam to go towards the sanctum sanctorium. One can see that the ancient temple has been modernised over time by laying glazed tiles on the walls and floor. Actually it would have been better if the original architecture had been retained and well maintained.

Pair of Scales in front of Sanctum Sanctorium

We find a huge pair of scales here, where devotees who have been blessed with children offer sugar,banana etc. equivalent to the weight of the child. As the serpentine queue moves slowly towards the sanctum sanctorium you wait with bated breath. The main sannadhi is small, dark and crowded. There is a strong stainless steel railing affixed all around the goddess so that no one touches and damages the structure. It is difficult to see very clearly through this railing. Just behind the goddess, through a small window like structure, you can see thandavarayan looking a little sad that he could not quench his wife's thrist in time. As you circumambulate and move towards the front portion of the sanctum sanctorium, you hold your breath in awe. The goddess completely covered in turmeric paste looks magnificient. The eyes, eyebrows, the parted lips, the visibly pregnant belly all look so natural. The bangles and the last lemon are offered here. The poojari takes your bangles and gives you others as prasad. He rolls the lemon now smeared with kumkum from a stone near the goddess's feet, and the devotees collect it in the pallav of their saree. Lemon garlands are also offered and returned with her blessings and people keep them in their vehicles, shops, pooja rooms, or over their front door as a charm. On coming out, we find another huge anthill ( this does not have a human figure)to the right of the sanctum sanctorium under the stala Vriksham - Neem Tree. People who seek childbirth, tie miniature cradles near this anthill or pieces of pallav of their saree in anticipation of the fulfilment of their desire.



Cradles tied above the second natural anthill
and on the Sthala Vriksham

It is also very common for people to stay overnight here on full moon days. A special prayer is conducted at 5 am the next morning for these people who stay awake and pray through the night.
Location of the temple: This temple is near Tiruvallur.
How to get here: It is very easy to reach here by train. From Central one has to take a train, bound for Tiruvallur, Tiruthani or Arakkonam, and get down at Putlur station.  Make sure it is not an express which stops only at limited stations. From there the temple can be reached either by walk or share auto.
By road: On the tiruvallur road, after crossing Nemam, go straight. There will be a board on the right saying Putlur. Just a few feet away, there would also be an ambedkar statue on the left side of the road pointing to the right. Take the right turn here. A bridge is being constructed. Just before the bridge, there would be a small mudtrack to the left. Go down that track. Very soon, you will reach a railway gate. The temple is about half a km from this railway gate. There are several share autos available to take the visitors at Rs.5 per person. Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays and full moon days are extremely crowded here.

Pidaari Karukaathamman Temple, Mamallapuram

Pidaari Karukaathamman 

Pidaari Karukkathamman Temple is on the Tirukazhukunram Main Road, just when you enter Mamallapuram. The amman as her name signifies, grants the boon of childbirth to issueless couples.Several devotees throng the temple on Full Moon and Fridays. It was around 5.30 pm when we reached this temple. The small, ancient temple with just one sannadhi is now being extended. New sannadhis are being built for Ganesha, Subramanya and Navagrahas. The mandapam in front of the sannadhi has been moved forward along with the ancient Bali Peedam and Dwara paalakas.

Ancient Bali Peetam

The amman looks magnificient with braided hair - "Jadamudi". The eyes are glowing even from a distance and seem to penetrate the hearts of those who have come in search of fulfillment of their desires. It is believed that the Amman looks ferocious for six months and calm for the other six months.

Extension work being carried out at the temple

Devotees who come to pray for a child, bring flowers, coconut and lemon, and offer to the goddess. They tie pebbles ( surprisingly the pebbles that lay scattered in the temple, are almost shaped like a tucked up infant!) in yellow cloth, shaping it like a cradle, which the Poojari places on the lap of the amman and returns to the devotees, on to the several "Etti" trees (Nux vomica trees) that surround the temple. The lemon is placed on the Goddess' shoulders and returned to the woman who takes it home and consumes the juice as prasadam. This ritual is repeated for three full moon days. We could see several women who had been blessed with children, having come to offer gratitude, and were adorning the goddess with sarees, and offering sweet pongal. Several women praying for childbirth, were lined up on their knees, accepting the lemon that the poojari gave along with Veebudhi, Kumkumam and Manjal Kaapu in the pallav of their sarees. Those girls praying to get married tie turmeric sticks on yellow thread on to the Nux vomica trees.

Pebble cradles on the Nux vomica trees around the temple

The beautiful setting of the temple with several stala vrikshas around

The unique feature about this temple is that usually Pidaariamman temples are North facing while this temple faces East. The amman also serves as the "Ellai Theivam" for the town of Mamallapuram. Navarathri is very special here and the amman is decorated in different alangarams each of the nine days.